Farrah's Alma Mater Refiles Warhol Suit Against O'Neal

Portrait could be worth $30 million

The University of Texas has refiled its suit against Ryan O'Neal over a $30 million Andy Warhol painting, taking the case to a Los Angeles court.

Farrah Fawcett, who died in 2009, left the painting of herself to her alma mater. But the school never got the painting, and hired a private investigator who determined Fawcett's longtime companion O'Neal has it. The painting appeared to be visible in an episode of "Ryan & Tatum: The O'Neals."

In the original lawsuit, filed in federal court, the school stressed that it is concerned with preserving history and not interested in monetary gain. When the federal court ruled it did not have jurisdiction, the school took the case to LA Superior Court.

"Mr. O'Neal has wrongfully converted the missing Warhol portrait that belongs to UT Austin," the school claimed in court papers. "Mr. O'Neal was not included in Ms. Fawcett's will, nor in the Fawcett Living Trust, and Ms. Fawcett's express wishes as stated in the Farrah Fawcett Living Trust have been thwarted by such conversion."

O'Neal, meanwhile, maintains that the portrait in his bedroom is one of two Warhol did of Fawcett, and that it is rightfully his.

A spokesman for O'Neal, Arnold Robinson, called the original suit "ridiculous."

"Ryan O'Neal's friendship with Andy Warhol began 10 years prior to his meeting Farrah Fawcett," said Robinson in a statement. "When Ryan introduced Andy to Farrah, Mr Warhol chose to complete two portraits of her, one for Ms Fawcett and one for Mr O'Neal. Mr O'Neal looks forward to being completely vindicated in the courts."

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